1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to backpacks and, more particularly, to a backpack with pockets for transporting personal belongings that is carried on a user's back with a cushion between the user's back and the pockets as a comfort pad. The backpack cushion serves as a seat padding primarily for chairs and may also be used as a cushion for bleacher or stadium seats. Thus, for example, a student or sports fan is able to transport books, food, drink, clothing and the like to a school or a sports event in the backpack pockets and upon arrival unfold the pockets away from the cushion to avail the cushion as a soft seat over a desk seat or a hard bleacher bench.
2. Prior Art
Backpacks are commonplace in use, for example, as a carrier to conveniently transport a student's books and belongings to school, to transport a hiker's equipment and supplies, and other similar personal carrier use. The usual advantage is in supporting a substantial or inconvenient load on a user's torso, specifically the user's back, rather than the user's arms which would tire more quickly. It also frees up the user's arms for other use.
Seat cushions are also commonplace, for example, as portable pads that add comfort to a hard seating surface, such as hard desk chairs, bleachers or stadium seats. A sports fan may carry a seat cushion along with whatever other paraphernalia he might choose to have during a sporting event to the stadium, typically in bags or backpacks. It is known to have backpacks that anticipate that a user will want to carry a seat cushion or otherwise provide for a seat cushion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,287 by Cormier teaches a cushion covered by a second member that together form a cavity for transporting belongings. When the second member is removed, the cushion is revealed, ready to sit on. U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,575 discloses a hunter's chair including a seat back and bottom strapped together and a detachable pack strapped to each seat bottom side to carry a hunter's supplies. During transport the pack is placed over the user's head with the seat back carried over the user's torso front and the seat back over the user's back with the side packs strapped to the seat bottom. U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,463 discloses a seat cushion pocket and pack for a stadium chair that straps the seat cushion in its pocket on the chair to a flap for holding personal belongings under the chair. For transport, the flap folds over the seat cushion pocket. It is not common, however, for a cushion to be adapted for use on a student desk seat while doubling as a book carrier.
None of the disclosures teaches a desk seat cushion with pockets for carrying books and personal belongings with the pockets folding away from the cushion and depending from the desk seat during use, the seat cushion also doubling as a backpack that is transportable on a user's back and a pad for buffering the pockets from the user's back.